Hampshire Chronicle Cup

Winchester City 1 Eastleigh 1

(Winchester City win 6-5 on penalties)

Winchester City won the Hampshire Chronicle Cup for the first time in its three-year history; taking their Nationwide League South visitors to extra time and then clinching the penalty shoot out.

Eastleigh started with an attacking three strikers formation including England non-league international James Taylor and ex City striker Andy Forbes. Taylor had the best opening chance but was forced wide by David hook and the chance went begging.

With thirty-four minutes played Lee Webbers quick clearance was picked up by Neville Roach. Roach was adjudged to have been felled by Stewart Lang and referee Mr T Ingram awarded Eastleigh a penalty. Ryan Ashford’s penalty was saved by David Hook.

The second half exploded into life in the opening two minutes. A long clearance by Alan Walker=-Harris saw Mark Lilley on as a half time substitute and having returned to City from Eastleigh in the summer, took the opportunity to nip in front of Webber and divert the ball home to give City the lead.

Ashford saw a free kick well saved by Walker-Harris then Taylor struck a shot against the underside of the bar. On seventy-four minutes though Eastleigh scored an equaliser. Ashford’s corner was knocked back by Taylor and Christer Warren headed the ball home.

Neither side could break the deadlock for the rest of the match so the penalty shoot out was enforced.

Danny Wakefield’s netted City’s first kick, with Andy Forbes scoring from Eastleigh first attempt. Liam Green netted the second City spot kick, which was again equalled by Ashford. Ben Kneller saw the third City spot kick saved by keeper Webber and ex City captain Danny Smith converted to put Eastleigh ahead. Lilley levelled the scores for City and then kit was Taylor’s turn to blast wide for Eastleigh. Thomas King made it 4-3 City before Warren netted his penalty to tie the scores again. Matthew Rackham restored City’s penalty advantage against to be levelled by a Roach conversion. Nick Lewis shot into the top right hand corner to score City’s sixth penalty and then the City fans were jubilant when ex City defender Mark Blake saw his spot kick saved by Walker-Harris.

Winchester : Hook (Walker-Harris), Austen (Lilley), Lisk, Jones (Lewis), Redwood, G Green (T King), McCormick (Rackham), Sumner (Wakefield), Musselwhite (Kneller), Brown, L Green

Eastleigh : Webber, Blake (Leccanellier)), Oliver (Wilson), Warren, Burton (Wyeth), Marshall, Smith, A Forbes, Roach (Stokoe), Taylor (Mason), Ashford